


A Greater Aptitude

by carolinecrane



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-06
Updated: 2012-05-06
Packaged: 2017-11-04 22:25:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/398872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolinecrane/pseuds/carolinecrane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been six days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Greater Aptitude

He hears the key in the lock and scrambles for a more casual position on the couch, attempting to look like he hasn't been waiting up for Greg. It's harder than it looks, and he has a feeling he's not really fooling anybody, because he could always tell when Greg waited up for him. Back then he'd always assumed Greg just didn't care if Nick knew, but now that he's the one waiting he's not so sure.

Because he's flipping through the channels just the way Greg used to, stretched out on the couch and hoping he looks a lot more relaxed than he feels, but as soon as Greg wanders into the living room he sits up exactly the same way Greg used to do. Sits up and looks at Greg, and as soon as he sees the dark circles and the worn expression he forgets all about pretending he hasn't been counting the minutes until Greg got home.

"You gotta stop working so much overtime, man."

"Can't," Greg answers, bag and jacket hitting the floor in a heap and it's all Nick can do not to get up and put them away. But he doesn't want to argue with Greg, not now, and not about something as stupid as a little mess on the living room floor. So he ignores it and reaches for Greg instead, pulling him down onto the couch and watching as Greg sighs and leans back against the cushions.

His eyes close automatically, dark lashes fluttering against his cheeks and Nick wants to lean in and kiss him. It's the reason he's been waiting up, watching the clock more than the TV and willing Greg to stop working so hard and just come home already. He understands why Greg's pushing himself so hard, knows he's got a lot of learning to catch up on before he really feels comfortable in the field, but that doesn't make it any easier to go to bed alone after every shift. 

They haven't had sex in six days – not that he's counting – and he was hoping that when Greg got home they could make up for a little lost time, but it's obvious now that it's not going to happen tonight. And he feels a little guilty for being disappointed, but every day that passes with barely a kiss goodbye before their shift makes it a little easier to ignore the guilt. "You have to, G. You're exhausted."

"I can handle it," Greg insists the same way he always does whenever they have this conversation. Nick knows it won't do any good to argue with him, knows exactly why he'd putting in so many extra hours. And it's not forever, but that's how it feels right now. 

More than once he's considered going to Grissom, behind Greg's back to insist their supervisor order Greg to get some rest. The only thing stopping him is the argument he knows it would start if it got back to Greg – and it would definitely get back to Greg – and the idea of sleeping alone for however long it took Greg to get over it. But the truth is that he shouldn't even have to ask, because Grissom should see the warning signs as clearly as Nick does.

Then again, Grissom doesn't wake up before the alarm every afternoon just to watch Greg sleep, doesn't count the lines around his eyes and notice each new one that pops up. He doesn't spend his breaks checking up on Greg to make sure he's doing okay – behind Greg's back, of course – until even Catherine rolls her eyes every time she sees him coming. It should be embarrassing, but he's way past that at this point, because he hardly ever sees Greg anymore and if he has to live this way, he's going to do whatever he can to make sure Greg lives through his training so they can get back to normal someday.

Only 'someday' is starting to feel farther and farther away, especially when this is the first time he's seen Greg awake for more than five minutes at a stretch in the past two days. "I'm serious, Greg. Let Hodges train your replacement, or take a break from the field until you feel comfortable leaving him alone in your lab."

Greg's eyes blink open at that, staring at Nick as though he's just suggested Greg commit murder. "Let _Hodges_ …that's insulting."

Any other time Nick would agree that Hodges is the worst choice to train anyone, but he can't help thinking that Greg's health is more important than his pride. "Look, if you keep wearing yourself out like this you're not going to be any good to anybody. Believe me, that's not going to impress Grissom."

"I'm fine," Greg answers, but his voice catches on a yawn and he settles even lower on the couch. "I just need a few hours' sleep and I'll be ready to go."

And he knows it's not fair, but he's played every other card he can think of, and this is all he's got left. "I miss you."

Greg sighs and forces his eyes open again, and Nick instantly feels like the biggest jerk in the world. Because he knows how much this job means to Greg, knows he's taking a pay cut and working his ass off just to prove how much he wants it. He's done a lot more to prove himself than Nick ever had to do, and he doesn't need Nick laying a guilt trip on him.

"I know," he says, pushing himself up far enough to lean into Nick. "I'll make it up to you."

He brushes a kiss across Nick's mouth, and Nick knows he should stop Greg, pull him up off the couch and put him to bed. He should take it back, tell Greg it's okay and that he understands, that he wants Greg to be happy and he'll wait however long it takes. He hates himself just a little more for leaning in anyway, hand on the back of Greg's neck to stroke across his scars as he fits their mouths together. 

Greg kisses him back, one hand resting on Nick's chest and the other riding high on his thigh, fingers stroking absently across the fabric of Nick's sweatpants. He breaks the kiss to mouth his way down Greg's neck, Greg's forehead resting against his shoulder and it takes Nick a few moments to notice that the hand on his thigh has stopped moving. It takes another second to register the steady in-out of Greg's breath against his neck, and Nick pulls back far enough to look down at the head resting against his shoulder, laughing in spite of himself when he realizes Greg's asleep.

He thinks about waking Greg up, forcing him up off the couch and into their bedroom, but he looks so peaceful for the first time all day that Nick can't bring himself to do it. He could try to carry Greg to bed, but he has a feeling that wouldn't end well. So instead he wraps his arms around Greg's prone form, leaning back until he's stretched out on the couch again and Greg's wedged in next to him. Greg mumbles something in his sleep and shifts a little closer, hand still resting on Nick's chest, and it's not exactly the reunion he was hoping for, but he'll take it.


End file.
